The Salt Krasnals Read online

  “There is more to this little globe than you realise,” the queen said mysteriously as she put it on a shelf of salt ornaments.

  Stach and the four krasnals watched in wonder as tiny snowflakes began to dance inside the globe. When they looked closer white dust was falling upon a miniature forest and in the middle stood a little cottage, where a wizened old woman was brushing the walls with a broomstick, while six black geese slept lazily on.

  “Is that really the witch in there…?” asked Malinka, gazing in wonder through the salt and wondering if her pendant was lost forever. She shivered at the thought of her days spent sweeping up in that spider-infested cottage.

  “It is her… Baba Jaga… who once imprisoned so many in her forest including you and now finds herself a prisoner, thanks to your brave brothers,” said the salt queen.

  Bulbek blushed a bit, remembering how he had slept through the entire episode!

  “Well, I think it really is time we made haste,” he said. “We must travel while summer is still in the air.”

  He wanted to be safely back in the salt house before winter arrived.

  So they made ready to leave and the queen said to them,

  “As a reward for your defeat of Baba Jaga, the wicked witch of the White Forest, I give you my promise that for as long as you remain in your salt house, no miner who works for me will ever harm you. May you go in peace.”

  Bulbek stepped forward and bowed.

  “I thank you on behalf of us all, my lady, especially for your kindness, and your hospitality, but most importantly for your good food!”

  Return of Lost Treasures

  Fields and hills passed by as the four krasnals made their way back towards Wieliczka. They ate mushrooms and wild berries and camped out under the stars, reliving their adventures, hardly able to believe that they were really together again.

  “I would so much like to see where that ogre lived,” insisted Malinka, for the story of ‘Glasseye’ fascinated her.

  “Your curiosity will be the end of us all one day!” exclaimed Bulbek, who didn’t relish the prospect of setting eyes on that old ogre again, dead or alive!

  But he couldn’t deter his red-haired sister and secretly Hrapek and Bulbek thought it might be interesting having a better look around the cave, just to see if there was anything that had once belonged to them.

  One morning in early autumn they looked down from the hill into a valley. There was no mist and the cave was clearly visible. But what was more surprising was the queue of visitors that stretched all the way past the trees that grew upon the earth.

  They quickened their step and tumbled down the grassy slope until they came in sight of some of the creatures they had rescued from the White Forest, who were leaving the cave, carrying pictures, pots, ornaments, bowls, and hundreds of other objects which Bulbek in his bustle couldn’t make out. There were people who had travelled from Krakow by horse – the queen’s knights, priests, merchants weighed down with valuable paintings, swords and chalices. There was even a family of krasnals from Bochnia! Now that didn’t go down too well with Gappek and company!

  While the ghost caught up with some of the voles, stoats and rabbits who he had been imprisoned with under the witch’s cottage, Gappek and Bulbek spotted old Mossypot from the pine forest leaning on his stick!

  “Hey Mossypot! What’s going on here?”

  “Well, well, young Bulbek, if I remember correctly. Let me see, wasn’t it you who rescued me in the pine forest, or was it your brother?” He looked as if he hadn’t combed his green hair in an age.

  “Never mind that. What’s happening here? Why has everyone descended upon the ogre’s cave?” asked Bulbek.

  “Didn’t you know? He’s dead. News spreads fast. His body has been removed and buried under that hill. We’ve all come to claim back what is rightfully ours. He stole into Bochnia and removed some of their treasures,” said Mossypot, nodding at a group of krasnals holding some salt figures in their hands.

  “Words can hardly describe how relieved everyone is that he has finally gone. He often bullied harmless creatures and got them to do his dirty work. Well, given the size of him it’s not surprising really. Without their help he’d never have got into all those corners and narrow passages! Just wish we knew who killed him. Been preying on the world for far too long,” added Mossypot.

  Hrapek kept quiet, for some reason he thought it best not to brag about the moment he’d let loose with the Tatar arrow. He didn’t like being made a fuss of.

  “It was my brother, Hrapek here, who killed the ogre!” Malinka suddenly announced to the crowd.

  “Great!” exclaimed Hrapek. The fuss began. He was hailed a hero by all the woodland creatures and even the krasnals from Bochnia saluted him, along with the salt queen’s men who bowed low when he passed into the cave. The truth was out and that news spread around the country and made its way up to Gniezno where the eagles were delighted to hear the tale of ‘Hrapek the Hero’ who had defeated wicked old ‘Glasseye’, with a single arrow.

  When they got inside the cave there wasn’t much left to see. It had been picked clean. But Stach found a couple of old smoking pipes.

  “I’m pretty sure these belonged to Skarbnik,” he said turning them in his ghostly fingers and deciding to return them when he got back to the salt mine.

  “I tell you what. Why don’t you all stop off at my place on the way back. I’ve been meaning to tell you it’s my birthday and I’m having a big cake and candles,” said Mossypot, full of excitement.

  “There’ll be plenty more delicious food and drink…”

  Well, how hard it was for any of them to resist that little offer. They continued their journey over the hills and fields, passing the yew tree and waving to the squirrels, who were also having a lavish party to celebrate the return of their friends.

  “Hey aren’t you going to join us,” they shouted, but the krasnals made their excuses. It was getting late in the year and they knew they wouldn’t get away from their moss-haired friend without a ‘proper stay’.

  They arrived at Mossypot’s a few days later. His wife was very pleased to see them all.

  “Come in… come in… wipe your feet on the mat… that’s it… hats on pegs… Hurry the food’s on the table!”

  So the feast began and old Mossypot bored the socks (and waistcoats) off them all, wanting to hear their tales again and again: especially the killing of the ogre, their stay in the salt queen’s castle and how they defeated Baba Jaga in the White Forest with the salt globe.

  “So where’s the globe now?” he asked.

  “Oh we gave it back to the salt queen. It sits in a glass cabinet, as a memento. Visitors can go to the castle and pay to look at it, if they want to,” explained Gappek.

  “It’s amazing looking at the witch trapped inside the salt globe, with her gingerbread cottage among the larch trees and those snow flakes swirling around,” added Bulbek

  “I’d really like to see it one day,” mused Mossypot.

  “And the White Forest? Is it safe now the witch’s spell has been removed?”

  “Oh yes, quite safe and lovely – like a real forest again, with all the wonderful smells of leaves and flowers and little animals hiding everywhere,” said Malinka, who secretly wished she could go back there.

  It was a few days more before they actually arrived at the salt mine. When Gappek finally put the key in the door of the salt house, they all breathed a sigh of relief, and wanted to sink into the salt chairs in front of the fire, except Malinka who insisted that they open each window because it really had become rather stuffy after so much time away, despite Hrapek leaving out the lavender bags!

  As for Stach, he slunk off to Skarbnik’s palace carrying the lost pipes and greetings from the tired krasnals, who promised that they would visit the old treasurer just as soon as they had recovered.

  Stach found the treasurer’s daughter in the garden of pretty salt flowers.

  She wept tears of jo
y.

  “This time I will never leave you,” promised the miner and from that day onwards the White Lady never cried again.

  Skarbnik was absolutely overjoyed.

  “Now you have lost your mortality I have no objection to you marrying my daughter!” announced the old treasurer, who could see nothing wrong with a marriage between two ghosts.

  “It’s thanks in no small part to those krasnals. We must invite them to the wedding ceremony,” he insisted.

  Invitations landed on the salt house doormat a few days later and Gappek and co. accepted without hesitation, making sure to bring along another pot of their finest blackberry jam.

  Malinka wore a fine lace dress and held the White Lady’s hand, while her three brothers, dressed in black suits, accompanied Stach. Skarbnik presided over a simple ceremony in the palace gardens and when the two were finally married everyone retired to the dining room for a feast.

  They laughed long into the day, retelling their tales to the treasurer.

  “I still can’t believe that you shot an ogre,” beamed Bulbek, looking at his older brother.

  “Oh it was nothing,” said Hrapek modestly, but secretly he was rather proud of himself.

  There’s a lot more to Hrapek than he lets on!” said the treasurer, winking. Then turning to Stach he continued,

  “Good that you remembered those pipes. I wondered where they had gone. It is remarkable that so many things were not damaged in that cave.”

  “Now tell me again… those seeds I found… did they really grow into a forest?”

  As the krasnals recalled what they had seen inside the salt globe, Skarbnik blew smoke circles around the room, with pictures of trees and birds fluttering cheerfully above their heads.

  Glasses clinked as the lord of the salt mine toasted the happy couple,

  “A marriage between ghosts is a marriage that really will last forever!” he chuckled, which the krasnals after drinking quite a lot of elderberry wine, found very amusing.

  And so it was with happy hearts the four proud adventurers, left the treasurer’s palace late in the evening and staggered back to their comfy little salt house, feeling lighter than they had for a very long time.

  About the Story

  The Wieliczka Salt Mine just outside Krakow is one of the most amazing and awe-inspiring places on earth. It’s been in operation since the 13th century and now consists of over 300 kilometres of underground passages. My wife introduced me to it on one of our many trips to her home country, Poland. It’s a magical place full of mystery and legend. There are underground lakes, a fascinating museum depicting salt mining through the ages, a sanatorium, and entire chapels which have been carved out of rock salt – everything from the floors to the chandeliers.

  In one of the most striking chambers is a salt statue of the Hungarian Princess, Kinga, accepting her engagement ring from her Polish fiance, Boleslaw the Chaste. Legend has it that Kinga founded the mine when she dropped her engagement ring down a mineshaft in Hungary in the knowledge that it would travel along the salt veins into Poland. The mine was a gift to her adopted country and in the Middle Ages the wealthy and powerful kingdom of Poland under the Jagiellonians, was financed by money made from mining salt. But the mine also gave rise to some wonderful tales, not least those concerning the ghostly treasurer Skarbnik, who ruled like an underground god. It is the little salt dwarves or krasnals as they are known in Poland, standing behind the figures of Kinga and her prince, which have inspired this story.

  Visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine at www.kopalnia.pl

  THE MERMAID OR WARSAW

  Richard Monte

  Illustrated by Paul Hess

  Enchanting, wicked and often very funny, Poland’s folk tales are one of the great treasures of Central Europe. Crowned by the story of The Mermaid of Warsaw, the eight colourful tales in this collection include Skarbnik’s Second Breakfast, set deep in the Wieliczka salt mines, The Turnip-Counter from Karkonosze and The Copper Coin of Wineta, alongside stories from, Poznan and the Polish lakes. Paul Hess’s stylish illustrations make this a collection to delight children everywhere.

  “Full of wonder, this is a stunning collection of enchanting folk stories with a timeless and universal appeal. Richard Monte captures the optimistic spirit of Poland in stories which delight on account of their magic and surprise.” Lovereading

  “Each tale amuses and enchants as problems are encountered, sorted and justice prevails. The black and white illustrations exude fun and humour. They warmly capture the human spirit as it deals with the bewitiching of strange creatures in far off times. Mesmerising to read aloud. Full of magic and surprise.” School Librarian

  “The tales are told by Monte in an unwavering voice, with portent enough to keep an audience listening close, and Hess’ artwork has the right spidery look and sinister atmosphere.” Kirkus Reviews

  THE DRAGON OF KRAKOW

  Richard Monte

  Illustrated by Paul Hess

  These Polish folk tales have a delightfully mischievous character all their own. To create his sparkling collection, Richard Monte has gathered some of Poland’s favourite stories from all over the country: The Golden Duck hails from Warsaw, The King Who Was Eaten by Mice comes from Gniezno, The Gingerbread Bees is from Torun, while, The Dragon of Krakow tells the legendary story of King Krak and how his beautiful city came to be built. Brimming with humour, magic and Paul Hess’s exuberant illustrations, these retellings uncover a fascinating land and people.

  “Brimming with humour, magic and visual charm, Richard Monte’s retellings are a delight for all ages.” Betty Bookmark

  “A perfect introduction to another country’s heritage.” School Librarian

  “Sparkling retellings.” Scholastic Best Books of 2008

  Richard Monte is a children’s book reviewer. He also works as a children’s bookseller for Waterstones. His first novel for children, The Flood Tales, was published by Pavilion Books in 2000. He has travelled extensively in Poland, not only to the major cities but also on the Baltic Coast and in the Tatra Mountain region, and he has contributed articles on Poland to the BBC History Magazine and History Today. Reviewers described his first Frances Lincoln collection of Polish legends, The Dragon of Krakow, as ‘brimming with humour, magic and visual charm… a delight for all ages’. Richard lives in St Albans, Hertfordshire with his Polish wife and two children.

  www.richardmonte.co.uk

  Contents

  The Salt House

  Hrapek Snores On

  Breakfast with Skarbnik

  Stubborn Old Fool

  Fire in the Forest

  The Yew Tree

  The Gingerbread Cottage

  Lonely Hrapek

  Mushrooms for Three

  Mossypot and the Secret Tunnels

  The Ogre’s Cave

  A Shadow in the Oak Tree

  The Crystal Wand

  A Little Warrior

  The Salt Queen’s Castle

  Princess Kinga’s Ring

  Flowers, Frogs and Frost Bats

  Baba Jaga’s Last Spell

  Krakow the Singing City!

  Return of Lost Treasures

  About the Story